Cost Efficiencies

How can a media company retain operations at a much lower cost base per product than ever before?

The two major areas where newsroom efficiencies can be gained are within the content creation process and in the packaging and production process. Unlike in the past when media companies were most often channel-specific, today's media companies must be able to handle a broad mix of media types (such as text, graphics, photography, video and audio for example) and must be able to distribute content through multiple media channels (such as Web sites, mobile, email, print, living room, Twitter and Facebook to name just a few). Because of this need it is possible for today's media company to gain significant efficiencies through the production of content which may be easily used by multiple channels. When it comes to the packaging of content for each of the various channels utilized by today's media company, efficiencies can be achieved by keeping formats separate from content and relying on only minimal, if any at all, content-specific format adaptation. SAXOTECH's multi-channel publishing solutions enable media companies to grow both the number of products and the number of media types handled without adding cost. Utilizing SAXOTECH's solutions, traditional media products can be produced more efficiently leaving resources to support the new products resulting in fewer resources spent per product.

What is the "one newsroom" concept and why should a media company consider it?

Traditionally news organizations operated a specific print newsroom and a specific online newsroom run by separate sets of specialists based upon the view that online content was essentially dependant upon the print version of the story. While the view of digital channels has generally evolved from this primarily print-dependent delivery vehicle concept to a more cohesive centralized multi-channel story creation approach, many media companies still maintain two separate newsrooms. A growing number of media companies have, however, begun to utilize a "one newsroom" approach. This approach allows for increased collaboration and a more efficient publication to multiple channels.

SAXOTECH multi-channel publishing solutions and Online Ad Solutions allow media companies to work from a single system and create a collaborative newsroom, publishing to multiple channels and making the one newsroom concept possible.

Why is planning so important?

Whether you are part of a single news organization or part of a large media group, making decisions on how you can most effectively leverage all available assets and tell the best story on any given channel is critical to success. Content management decisions in a fast-paced news environment with short news cycles involve more than simple story assignments. Knowing what stories to cover and which tools are available to help tell them is a complex process, especially when serving multiple media channels. Media companies need to be able to understand their entire inventory of assignments, stories, multimedia assets, background data and resources - all in real time.

SAXOTECH's planning tools create an open, collaborative newsroom environment where stories and assets are managed throughout the entire creation and production process for all distribution channels. From the moment story ideas are born until final articles and assets are archived, SAXOTECH's planning tools allow media companies to realize greater productivity, increase quality and optimize the use of resources.

What the advantages of budget sharing?

As efficient resource utilization becomes increasingly important, the ability to effectively collaborate has grown in importance to today's media company. If you are a part of a larger group of news organizations or have your newsroom spread across multiple geographical locations, it is a challenge to create a truly collaborative environment. Reporters may be operating from remote locations or their homes, videographers may be on the scene and editors may be in the newsroom but all may be working on (or assigned to) the same story.

SAXOTECH's budget sharing tools provide media companies with the ability to create truly collaborative environments. In addition they greatly enhance the pool of content which can be made available across multiple groups.

How can templated production help my media company?

Today in North America, most Web sites are served in a templated format with some modification to breaking news stories and front pages. In Europe, however, many newspapers have begun to be produced from a templated base with only a small percentage of the layout being modified manually. While this conversion required changes to the traditional production processes, those media companies that have successfully transitioned to this production scheme have gained significant efficiencies and often report an increased quality of the newspaper. The return on investment related to such implementations are significant and the investment is generally realized in a very short period of time

SAXOTECH has extensive experience implementing templated production schemes from both a systems perspective and an organizational perspective. Our multi-channel publishing solutions are designed to make the switch to templated production simple and the resulting efficiencies beneficial.

What are the benefits of centralizing IT?

Over the past decade the media industry has been experiencing significant consolidation. Today, more than half of all media companies serving major markets are part of a larger group. For such groups, significant savings and efficiencies can be realized through the adaptation of a centralized IT approach (running one central IT department and cluster of hardware as opposed to running IT locally at each property). The duplication of expertise, effort and resources (manpower, maintenance and infrastructure) normally associated with localized IT installations are greatly reduced through centralization and a more efficient utilization of resources results.

SAXOTECH can assist with the both the centralization and outsourcing of your IT operations. SAXOTECH's professional services team can provide you with the expertise needed to facilitate your move toward centralization or provide you with the resources needed to outsource your IT needs through our managed multi-channel publishing solutions.